705 White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Attack on a Harbor Porpoise (Phocaena phocaena) in the Bay of Fundy, Canada Stephen D. Turnbull1,* and Danielle Dion1 Abstract - A Carcharodon carcharias (White Shark) was observed attacking and successfully taking a male Phocaena phocaena (Harbor Porpoise) in the Bay of Fundy, Canada at 44°52'93"N, 66°44'32"W at 1600 hours on 17 August 2012, between Grand Manan and The Wolves. The shark was estimated to be greater than 3 m in length. This observation is the first of such incident involving a Harbor Porpoise since 1952. This sighting further contributes to the notion that White Sharks prey upon Harbor Porpoise in the Bay of Fundy. Carcharodon carcharias L. (White Shark) are seasonal inhabitants of the Bay of Fundy, Canada but reports of them are relatively rare (DFO 2006, Mollomo 1998), and actual observations of one preying on a Harbor Porpoise are even rarer (Arnold 1972, Day and Fisher 1954, Leatherwood et al. 1972, Molloma 1998). According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, there have been only 34 confirmed records of White Sharks in Canadian waters between 1874 and 2004 (DFO 2006). Most Atlantic sightings have occurred during the summer months, between June and September, with the highest frequency in August (COSEWIC 2006). There were two confirmed sightings of White Sharks in the Bay of Fundy in 2011. This report describes one such sighting in which a White Shark was observed preying upon Phocaena phocaena Abel (Harbor Porpoise). The Harbor Porpoise was sighted at 44°52'93"N, 66°44'32"W at 1600 hours on 17 August 2012 from on board a whale-watching boat. The location was between the Southern Wolves and Grand Manan, NB. This sighting occurred in the area of Owen Basin approximately one hour after high tide, with light winds (less than 10 km/hr) and calm waters. The porpoise was spotted by one of the authors and had just been struck by a shark. The porpoise was still alive but was bleeding freely from the missing portion of the tail stock (Fig. 1a). No other porpoises were sighted in the immediate vicinity. Using estimates from an experienced observer on board the boat, and basic morphological data made available by the New Brunswick Museum in Saint John, NB, the missing portion of the tail stock was approximately 0.30 m in length. This length is similar to the size of tail stocks of Harbor Porpoises found in the stomach of a White Shark reported in Arnold (1972). The porpoise was determined to be an adult male and estimated to be about 1.3 m in total length (with tail stock added). After the initial sighting, the shark disappeared below the surface for a few minutes but then emerged from slightly behind the porpoise and circled it. Water clarity was excellent, and based on the size of the shark and physical attributes (large dorsal fin and position relative to pectoral fins, upper lobe of tail, gill slit size, and dark markings on the underside of the pectoral fins), it was determined to be a White Shark and not Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque (Shortfin Mako). The length of the shark was estimated to be at over 3 m (Fig. 1b). The shark returned to the fatally wounded porpoise and grasped it by the pectoral fin and dragged it down below the surface, ending t he encounter (Fig. 1c). This represents one of the rare occurrences where a White Shark has been seen attacking a Harbor Porpoise in this area. Day and Fisher (1954) reported two similar incidents where Harbor Porpoises were bitten in two by what were thought to be White Sharks due 1University of New Brunswick, PO Box 5050, Saint John, NB, Canada, E2L 4L5. *Corresponding author - turnbull@unb.ca. Notes of the Northeastern Naturalist, Issue 19/4, 2012 706 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 19, No. 4 to their size. Day and Fisher (1954) suggested the increase in occurrence of sightings in the Atlantic region at that time might have been due to increased water temperatures. The water temperature from the Prince 5 station, which is close to the sighting, was approximately 10 °C at the time, well within the temperature range (5–27 °C) of the White Figure 1. Carcharodon carcharias (Great White Shark) attack on a Phocoena phocoena (Harbor Porpoise) in the Bay of Fundy, NB, Canada. A) Arrow indicates the missing tail stock of the Harbor Porpoise; B) Arrows indicated the length from the tip of the caudal fin to the dorsal fin of the shark; C) The shark returning to take the remainder of the Harbor Porpoise. 2012 Northeastern Naturalist Notes 707 Shark (COSEWIC 2006). This report supports the hypothesis of Arnold (1972) that White Sharks prey on Harbor Porpoise in the Bay of Fundy. Acknowledgments. We thank the owners, Captain, and crew of the Quoddy Link, St. Andrews, NB. We would also like to thank Don McAlpine and Mary Sollows from the New Brunswick Museum, in Saint John, NB for providing the Harbor Porpoise data. Literature Cited Arnold, P.W. 1972. Predation on Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, by a White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias. Journal of the Fisheries Resources Board of Canada 29:1213–1214. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). 2006. COSEWIC assessment and status report on the White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias (Atlantic and Pacific populations) in Canada. Ottawa, ON, Canada. Vii + 31 pp. Available online at http://www. sararegistry.gc.ca/status_e.cfm. Day, L.R., and H.D. Fisher. 1954. Notes on the Great White Shark, Carcharodon carcharias, in Canadian Atlantic Waters. Copeia 4:295–296. Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). 2006. Recovery potential assessment report on White Sharks in Atlantic Canada. DFO Canadian Science Advisory Section Science Advisory Report 2006/052. Leatherwood, J.S., W.F. Perrin, R.L. Garvie, and J.C. La Grange. 1972. Observations of sharks attacking porpoises (Stenella spp. and Delphinus cf. D. delphis). Naval Undersea Center TN 908, San Diego, CA. Pp.1–7. Mollomo, P. 1998. The White Shark in Maine and Canadian Atlantic waters. Northeastern Naturalist 5(3):207–214